JUNE 2019- 1 MONTH study plan:
PLAB 1 experience ( Dr HANI M KHADLI)
Its not easy, but you can do it !! Commit, Work hard for you to enter the exam with CONFIDENCE AND PASS from the FIRST TIME !!!
Exam: (PLAB1- 180 SBA in 180 min) JUNE 2019 \ minimum score to pass was 117 \ Average score was 119
Courses:
1- Swamy long course
I took a month off from work, attended Swamy long course ONLINE (which I recommend for convenience and comfort). The course is very effective at reviewing all topic in approximately 21 days.
Note: It’s a very long course, 9am to 7pm UK time but worth every minute. AT THIS STAGE, YOU NEED ALL THE SUPPORT and commitment you can give.
I advise to take the long course and have a month post course to study by yourself and solve both PLABABLE and SWAMY’s questions prior the mocks.
I didn’t have time so I took the course (21 days) then 2 days reviewed some ethics and psychiatry then ONLINE 7 days -7 mocks with SWAMY then traveled to take the real exam.
Oh and if you have time, take the long course not the short one for maximum benefit.
2- PLABABLE 3-days intensive course:
Very effective at reviewing all major cases in most of the topics in just 2 days and on the third day, you do a NEW PLABABLE MOCK. I only took it to break the routine of SWAMY course, but I recommend it if you don’t have time or feel that you don’t need a long course.
3- Ethics and law PLABABLE webinar (2 hours): it’s good to grasp the ethical scenarios and regulations within the NHS\UK system. What sectioning means, fraser, abortion, and so on.
Sources - most updated are:
PLABABLE explanations
http://patient.co.uk website
https://www.nhs.uk/ website
Note: oxford handbook is good but not the most updated, yet a good one to refer to (not to study from- don’t waste time reading – make 30% study-70% solving ratio)
Time management:
Must train fast, solve quickly, Read quickly … Basically, once you figure the diagnosis (whether from first clue or more), go read the last line CAREFULLY! Then answer and just move on! Don’t waste more than 50 sec per question or else you’ll lose the opportunity to even read other questions.
I usually save 45-60 min during the mocks but only managed to spare 10 min in the real exams!!
Questions are not all long, some are few lines, others are 1-2 Pages and tons of labs included.
HOW TO MANAGE?
PRACTICE at home and do TIMED mocks and see how do you do. Score yourself and notice how you felt during and after the mock ends; meaning did you feel solving fast, was it difficult, were you careless at points and just ticking answers or the complete opposite and wasted precious minutes. Note these self-reflections and check your score. Adjust and you’ll FIND GOOD PROGRESS !
THE MORE YOU SOLVE, THE BETTER YOU GET!
YOU MUST REPEAT MOCKS:
-FIRST read: like a real exam
-SECOND read: go question by question and read about what you don’t know and revise guidelines you already know. E.g guidelines of asthma, actue vs chronic management, COPD, DM, HTN treatment
-Third read: just go over the wrong answers or the ones you have to memorize 
ANY DEBATABLE QUESTIONS: JUST MOVE ON !!! give yourself and others 5 or even 10% worth of wrong answers … you will PASS !! Aim to PASS with confidence not to get 180\180 !!!
Finally, what you score in the mocks, you will most probably get in the real PLAB1. I have scored around 135-150 in all of my NEW mocks, as well as in the real exam.
Results:
On the day of the results, open your GMC online account, refresh until you see that PASS! Directly book your PLAB2 exam as the dates run out so fast!
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Keep your laptop ready, account open, VISA on the side, a paper with your plan and expectations of what dates do you need (for instance, know when the PLAB2 course begins and allow 4-6 weeks of practice post-course, then book your PLAB2 test.
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If you see a FAIL, don’t worry, just book instantly your PLAB1 again, and just SOLVE, SOLVE, SOLVE. You’ll be more expert and attain much more knowledge\experience. JUST DON’T GIVE UP!!!
Planning
Always have a plan with the dates and locations, course and exams, work and family commitments included, have a TIMELINE, follow and adjust accordingly!
My plan was simple: Solved PLABABLE until I cleared IELTS\OET, then the day I did, I took 1 month off from work, took SWAMY long course (21 days), then 2 days solved some ethics and Pscyh, then 7 days online swamy new mocks, then 2 days (traveled and did the PLAB1 EXAM !!!).
DISCLAIMER: I do not intend to advertise, this is simply paying it forward for my fellow colleagues.
Good luck everyone !!!
Wish me luck with my PLAB2 
:))
Regards from RAMALLAH, PALESTINE.